§ Mr. Willisasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that, in the course of their fire-watching duties, engine-room artificers on board H.M.S. "Berwick" are being misemployed; and if he will take steps to stop this practice.
Mr. DugdaleThe commanding officer, H.M.S. "Berwick," is responsible for the provision of fire parties for a number of isolated ships lying in Fareham Creek. Normally, each party would be in the charge of a chief or petty officer of the stoker or seaman branch, but an engine-room artificer would be included in his technical capacity. At present, however, there are not enough chief or petty officer stoker mechanics to take charge of all the parties, and it is necessary to use engine-room artificers for this duty in their turn. I do not consider that engine-room artificers are misemployed in being required to perform this duty.